Question about "@" (at sign) in host names

[Mark_Andrews at iengines.com]

	My bet is you will find "CNAME and other error"s being logged
	resulting in SERVFAIL which is terminating the search.  Check
	you logs very carefully.  There will be a zone which contains
	a error.  Asking the server about non-existant names which fall
	within the zone will get a SERVFAIL as a response.

	The @ is just being escaped so that if the first label was
	@ it won't accidently be misinterperated.  Same with $.

	e.g.
		@.this.domain.  A 10.0.0.1

		$ORIGIN this.domain.
		\@	A	10.0.0.1

	Mark

> 
> I searched the archives for this particular question but found none.
> 
> We have just converted from pre-4.9 to 8.2.1 BIND.  We have some host names
> (routers) in our private frame relay network with the "@" sign in them.  I
> know the "@" is illegal (as well as "_", etc.) but there it is.  I may not
> be able to get those changed anytime soon.  Pre-4.9 handled the "@" but
> 8.2.1 seems to escape it to "\@".  There're no warning messages in the log
> as a result of bind's load of the db files.
> 
> I've got these settings in the named.conf file options paragraph dealing
> with names:
> 
>         check-names master ignore; 
>         check-names slave warn;
>         check-names response ignore; 
> 
> 
> Here's an excerpt from the db file:
> 
> WL at A-Router     in      a       10.2.0.11
> WL at A-R  in      cname   WL at A-Router.remote.dedip.oclc.org.
> WL at -Router      in      a       10.2.0.11
> WL at -R   in      cname   WL at -Router.remote.dedip.oclc.org.
> 
> 
> And here's an excerpt of the named_dump.db file:
> 
> $ORIGIN 0.2.10.in-addr.arpa.
> 4       900     IN      PTR     NBUA-Router.remote.dedip.oclc.org.
> ;Cl=3
>         900     IN      PTR     NBU-Router.remote.dedip.oclc.org.
> ;Cl=3
> 11      900     IN      PTR     WL\@A-Router.remote.dedip.oclc.org.
> ;Cl=3
>         900     IN      PTR     WL\@-Router.remote.dedip.oclc.org.
> ;Cl=3
> 5       900     IN      PTR     IMDA-Router.remote.dedip.oclc.org.
> ;Cl=3
>         900     IN      PTR     IMD-Router.remote.dedip.oclc.org.
> ;Cl=3
> 
> 
> Lookups of wl at a-router.remote.dedip.oclc.org will fail now:
> 
> willow 43 /etc/named: telnet WL at A-Router.remote.dedip.oclc.org
> WL at A-Router.remote.dedip.oclc.org: Unknown server error
> 
> with the querylog containing:
> 
> 29-Oct-1999 18:45:52.614 queries: 
> info: XX+/132.174.12.142/WL\@ARouter.remote.dedip.oclc.org/A
> 
> So, my question is, is there a workaround to allow the "@" to work until I'm
> able to get the name changed to not contain the "@"?
> 
> Thanks...
> 
> ...Kevin O'Neil
> oneil at oclc.org
> 
> 
> 
--
Mark Andrews, Internet Engines Inc. / Internet Software Consortium
1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: Mark_Andrews at iengines.com